Grasping the Roots and Foundations of Work Style Improvement

Work style improvement is a major issue concerning the life and death of the Party. A fine work style is the concentrated embodiment of the Party’s nature and purpose, and it is a distinctive mark that distinguishes our Party from other political parties. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that the essence of work style problems is fundamentally a matter of Party spirit.

作风建设是关系党的生死存亡的重大问题，优良作风是党的性质和宗旨的集中体现，是我们党区别于其他政党的显著标志。习近平总书记强调，作风问题本质上是党性问题。

Only with a strong Party spirit can one have a rigorous work style. The Party spirit of Party members determines their political stance, their awareness of purpose, and their code of conduct. If Party spirit is impure, the work style will inevitably “go off course”; if Party spirit is lost, it will bring about work style problems such as an alienated outlook on political performance giving rise to formalism, a distorted view of power fueling bureaucracy, blurred boundaries between public and private interests inducing hedonism, and a lack of faith exacerbating extravagance. Only by grasping the roots and foundations of work style improvement, strengthening Party spirit, educating and guiding Party officials and members to consciously use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to transform their subjective world, making efforts in ideological theory, ideals and beliefs, moral cultivation, and other areas, combined with rigid institutional constraints, systematic governance, and addressing both symptoms and root causes, can we advance work style improvement in depth, and build the Party into a vibrant Marxist governing party that always stays at the forefront of the times, enjoys the heartfelt support of the people, has the courage to engage in self-revolution, can withstand any test of wind and storm, and is full of vigor.

党性坚强才能作风过硬，党员的党性如何，决定其政治立场、宗旨意识和行为准则如何。党性不纯，作风必然“跑偏”；党性丧失，就会带来政绩观异化催生形式主义、权力观扭曲助长官僚主义、公私界限模糊诱发享乐主义、信仰缺失加剧奢靡之风等作风问题。唯有抓住作风建设的根与本，增强党性，教育引导党员干部自觉用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想改造主观世界，在思想理论、理想信念、道德修养等方面下功夫，结合刚性制度约束，系统施治、标本兼治，才能推动作风建设向纵深发展，把党建设成为始终走在时代前列、人民衷心拥护、勇于自我革命、经得起各种风浪考验、朝气蓬勃的马克思主义执政党。

Build a Solid Ideological Foundation

筑牢思想根基

Preserve Political Integrity with Theoretical Clarity

以理论清醒永葆政治本色

Work style improvement is a dynamic, continuous, and gradual process. Work style problems have a recurring and stubborn nature. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “Theoretical maturity is the foundation of political maturity, and political firmness stems from theoretical clarity.” Only with theoretical clarity and ideological maturity can one be politically firm and strong in Party spirit, and can one forge a fine work style in practical work.

作风建设是一个动态、持续、渐进的过程，作风问题具有反复性和顽固性。习近平总书记强调：“理论上的成熟是政治上成熟的基础，政治上的坚定源于理论上的清醒。”唯有理论清醒、思想成熟，才能政治坚定、党性坚强，才能在实际工作中锻造优良作风。

Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has taken Marxism as its guiding ideology and continuously advanced ideological Party building and theoretical Party strengthening. During the Xibaipo period, our Party put forward the “Two Musts” [1]1 The “Two Musts” refers to the call made by Mao Zedong at the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the CPC in Xibaipo in March 1949: “must remain modest, prudent, and not arrogant or rash; must remain hardworking and thrifty.”, building an ideological defense line for the “journey to Beijing for the examination” [2]2 “Journey to Beijing for the examination” is a metaphor used by Mao Zedong before the CPC entered Beijing to govern the country, likening the transition from revolutionary struggle to national governance to taking an examination, emphasizing the need to pass the test of power.. In the New Era, strengthening work style improvement, the primary task is to arm the mind with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to the integration of learning, thinking, and application, and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action, transform theoretical learning into political consciousness, ideological consciousness, and action consciousness, and break through accumulated work style malpractices with theoretical clarity.

中国共产党自诞生之日起，就将马克思主义作为指导思想，不断推进思想建党、理论强党。西柏坡时期，我们党提出“两个务必”，为“进京赶考”筑牢了思想防线。新时代加强作风建设，首要任务是用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想武装头脑，坚持学思用贯通、知信行统一，将理论学习转化为政治自觉、思想自觉、行动自觉，以理论清醒破除作风积弊。

First, study comprehensively and systematically. Party officials and members should not only comprehensively and systematically study and implement the main content of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, but also grasp the scientific system of this thought as a whole, achieving mastery through comprehensive understanding; they should adhere to studying the original texts, take the “Excerpts from Xi Jinping’s Discourses on Strengthening the Party’s Work Style Improvement” as a desk-side volume and a bedside book, and through centralized study, online courses, and other means, promote ideological elevation through systematic learning.

一是要全面系统学。党员干部既要全面系统地学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的主要内容，又要整体把握这一思想的科学体系，做到融会贯通；要坚持原原本本学，把《习近平关于加强党的作风建设论述摘编》作为案头卷、枕边书，通过集中学习、线上课程等方式，以系统学习推动思想升华。

Second, keep up with learning in a timely manner. Party officials and members should learn the latest achievements of the Party’s innovative theories at the first opportunity, earnestly study and comprehend General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on strengthening the Party’s work style improvement, and deeply understand the new deployments made by the Party Central Committee on persistently implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations; through learning media such as the “Xuexi Qiangguo” platform and Party newspapers and journals, and through forms such as the “Three Meetings and One Lesson” [3]3 “Three Meetings and One Lesson” refers to regular meetings of the Party branch general assembly, branch committee meetings, and Party group meetings, along with Party lessons, forming a basic system for Party organizational life. and Party Day activities, strengthen theoretical armament to ensure that thinking does not go astray and actions do not deviate from the track.

二是要及时跟进学。党员干部要第一时间学习党的创新理论最新成果，认真学习领会习近平总书记关于加强党的作风建设的重要论述，深刻领会党中央对锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神作出的新部署；通过“学习强国”平台和党报党刊等学习媒介、“三会一课”和主题党日等形式，强化理论武装，确保思想不迷航、行动不偏轨。

Third, study with deep reflection. Party officials and members should not only “know what it is” but also “know why it is so”; they should deeply reflect on and understand the historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic of the Party’s work style improvement in the New Era, and truly learn and thoroughly grasp the positions, viewpoints, and methods that run through it.

三是要深入思考学。党员干部既要“知其然”，又要“知其所以然”；要深入思考理解新时代党的作风建设的历史逻辑、理论逻辑和实践逻辑，真正学深悟透贯穿其中的立场、观点、方法。

Fourth, study by linking theory with practice. Party officials and members should carry forward the Marxist style of study that links theory with practice, and resolutely avoid formalism; they should closely focus on the “great affairs of the state” [4]4 “Great affairs of the state” is a term used by Xi Jinping to refer to the fundamental, long-term, and strategic issues concerning the overall development of the Party and the country., transform theory into a “golden key” for solving problems and improving work style, and test the effectiveness of learning in solving reform and development difficulties and improving people’s quality of life, achieving the unity of ideological recognition and action consciousness.

四是要联系实际学。党员干部要发扬理论联系实际的马克思主义学风，力戒形式主义；要紧扣“国之大者”，将理论转化为解决问题、改进作风的“金钥匙”，在破解改革发展难题、提升人民生活品质中检验学习成效，实现思想认同与行动自觉的统一。

Firm Ideals and Convictions

坚定理想信念

Stand Firm on the People’s Position by Practicing the Purpose

以践行宗旨站稳人民立场

In grasping work style improvement, the focus should be on firming up ideals and convictions and practicing the fundamental purpose, closely adhering to the key of maintaining the Party’s flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, and standing firm on the people’s position. The “Four Forms of Decadence” [5]5 The “Four Forms of Decadence” refers to formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance, which are the main targets of the CPC’s work style improvement campaign since the 18th National Congress. are only superficial phenomena; the root cause is deviating from Party spirit and abandoning the purpose. The Communist Party of China, starting from the Red Boat [6]6 The “Red Boat” refers to the boat on South Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, where the First National Congress of the CPC concluded in 1921, symbolizing the founding of the Party., grew from a small party of over 50 members into a large party with over 99 million members; since reform and opening up, it has led the people of all ethnic groups across the country to initiate and develop the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, all stemming from always firming up ideals and convictions and always practicing the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly. Party officials and members should adhere to the people-centered development thought, always place the people in the highest position in their hearts, establish and practice a correct outlook on political performance, and follow the Party’s mass line in the New Era.

抓作风建设，要重点突出坚定理想信念、践行根本宗旨，紧扣保持党同人民群众血肉联系这个关键，站稳人民立场。“四风”问题只是表象，根上是背离了党性，丢掉了宗旨。中国共产党从红船出发，把一个50多人的小党发展壮大到拥有9900多万名党员的大党；改革开放以来，带领全国各族人民开创和发展中国特色社会主义道路、中国特色社会主义理论体系、中国特色社会主义制度，都源于始终坚定理想信念，始终践行全心全意为人民服务的宗旨。党员干部要坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，始终把人民放在心中最高位置，树立和践行正确政绩观，走好新时代党的群众路线。

Party officials and members should “get down to the grassroots and sink to the front line,” find out the real situation and solve problems in rural revitalization and community governance, do everything possible to seek benefits for the masses, and accurately respond to people’s livelihood needs. They should take the satisfaction of the masses as the highest standard, and let the masses judge the gains and losses of work and test the effectiveness of work. They should adhere to building the Party for the public and exercising power for the people. Whether thinking about problems, conducting research, making decisions, or handling affairs, they must stand on the Party’s and the people’s position; only by doing everything with a public heart can they have a correct view of right and wrong, a correct view of righteousness and benefit, a correct view of power, and a correct view of career, and can they keep the masses in their hearts. They must constantly temper themselves in the practice of struggle, withstand the tests of governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment, always maintain close ties with the masses, adhere to doing everything for the people and relying on the people, and ensure that the fruits of development are shared by the people.

党员干部要“扑下身子、沉到一线”，在乡村振兴、社区治理中摸实情、解难题，千方百计为群众谋利益，精准响应民生需求。要以群众满意为最高标准，由群众评判工作得失、检验工作成效。要坚持立党为公、执政为民，无论是想问题、搞研究，还是作决策、办事情，都必须站在党和人民立场上；事事出于公心，才能有正确的是非观、义利观、权力观、事业观，才能把群众装在心里。要在斗争实践中不断砥砺，经受住执政考验、改革开放考验、市场经济考验、外部环境考验，始终密切联系群众，坚持一切为了人民、一切依靠人民，发展成果由人民共享。

Strictly Observe Institutions and Rules

严守制度规矩

Ensure Normalization and Long-Term Effectiveness with Rigid Constraints

以刚性约束确保常态长效

Work style improvement is an eternal theme of Party building. To address both symptoms and root causes and ensure implementation, we must adhere to the important methods and experiences of governing the Party with institutions and in accordance with regulations, and improve the institutional mechanisms for the standardization, normalization, and long-term effectiveness of work style improvement. Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Political Bureau of the Central Committee have taken the lead in setting rules and setting examples, closely focusing on the prominent issues that the masses deeply detest and strongly reflect on, correcting the “Four Forms of Decadence” with the spirit of driving a nail, resolutely opposing privileged thinking and privileged phenomena, curbing some unhealthy practices that had long gone unchecked, and correcting some stubborn and chronic diseases that had persisted for years, winning the trust and support of the people with a new atmosphere of work style improvement.

作风建设是党的建设的永恒主题。要标本兼治、抓好落实，坚持制度治党、依规治党的重要方法和重要经验，健全作风建设规范化常态化长效化制度机制。没有规矩，不成方圆。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记和中央政治局带头立规矩作示范，紧盯群众深恶痛绝、反映强烈的突出问题，以钉钉子精神纠治“四风”，坚决反对特权思想和特权现象，刹住了一些长期没有刹住的歪风，纠治了一些多年未除的顽瘴痼疾，以作风建设新气象赢得人民群众信任拥护。

Facing the new situation and new tasks of the New Era and the new journey, to prevent the resurgence of old problems, the emergence of new problems, and the growth of small problems, it is necessary to continuously improve and innovate the institutional mechanisms of intra-Party regulations. On the one hand, all disciplines and rules should be established, transforming General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on Party building into institutional norms, establishing an institutional system covering ideological education, power operation, and supervision and accountability, and giving play to the role of institutions in consolidating the foundation; according to new situations and new problems, and targeting the hidden and mutated problems of the “Four Forms of Decadence,” implementation rules should be revised and improved in a timely manner, classification and refinement should be promoted, and the identification standards for new types of corruption such as “electronic red envelopes” and “courier gifts” should be clarified, eliminating institutional “blind spots.” On the other hand, the vitality of institutions lies in their implementation. We must make great efforts to establish institutions and set rules, and even greater efforts to implement and enforce them. The various regulations for Party officials and members should be truly implemented, and the new achievements in work style improvement should provide a strong guarantee for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese-path modernization.

面对新时代新征程的新形势新任务，防止老问题复燃、新问题萌发、小问题坐大，要持续完善和创新党内法规制度机制。一方面，要把各项纪律和规矩立起来，使习近平总书记关于党的建设的重要思想转化为制度规范，建立涵盖思想教育、权力运行、监督问责的制度体系，发挥制度固根本的保障作用；要根据新情况新问题、针对“四风”隐形变异问题，及时修订和完善实施细则、推进分类细化，明确“电子红包”“快递送礼”等新型腐败的认定标准，消除制度“盲区”。另一方面，制度的生命力在于执行。我们要下大气力建制度、立规矩，更要下大气力抓落实、抓执行。针对党员干部的各项规定要真正落到实处，以作风建设新成效为进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化提供有力保障。

The way of governance is rooted in self-cultivation. Grasping work style improvement should return to simplicity, consolidate the foundation, and strengthen moral cultivation. Party spirit cultivation and moral standards do not naturally increase with the growth of Party membership or work experience, nor do they naturally improve with the promotion of positions. It is necessary to strengthen self-cultivation, self-restraint, and self-transformation, transform heteronomy into self-discipline, internalize it into daily behavioral norms that are used without conscious awareness, and create a positive and healthy political ecosystem.

为政之道，修身为本。抓作风建设要返璞归真、固本培元，加强道德修养。党性修养和道德水平不会随着党龄工龄的增长而自然提高，也不会随着职务的升迁而自然提高，必须强化自我修炼、自我约束、自我改造，把他律转化为自律，内化为日用而不觉的言行准则，营造积极健康的政治生态。

Strengthen moral education, inherit and carry forward the ideological essence of "governing by virtue" and "cultivating oneself, regulating the family" from fine traditional Chinese culture. Vigorously guide Party members, especially leading cadres, to understand great virtue, uphold public virtue, and strictly practice private virtue; to value moral conduct, maintain integrity, and nurture the mind; highlight the guiding role of core socialist values, and promote values such as loyalty and honesty, fairness and uprightness, hard work and plain living, and clean governance. Strengthen the construction of intra-Party political culture, nourish the intra-Party political ecosystem with a culture of clean governance in the New Era, guide Party members, especially leading cadres, to clearly resist and oppose vulgar and decadent political cultures such as the "art of guanxi," "thick black theory," [7]7 "Thick black theory" (厚黑学) refers to a cynical Chinese philosophy advocating shamelessness and ruthlessness for success in politics and society, popularized by Li Zongwu in the early 20th century. "officialdom tactics," and "hidden rules," [8]8 "Hidden rules" (潜规则) refers to unspoken, informal norms that govern behavior in Chinese officialdom and social interactions, often contradicting formal regulations. and promote the formation of clean and transparent comradely relations, standardized superior-subordinate relations, and a new type of cordial and clean government-business relations, using a fine Party conduct to drive social conduct and public sentiment upward and toward goodness. Use the "key minority" [9]9 "Key minority" (关键少数) is a Party term referring to leading cadres, especially at senior levels, whose conduct is seen as crucial for setting an example for the broader Party membership. to set an example for the "vast majority"; leading cadres at all levels, especially senior cadres, must inherit and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture, inherit and carry forward the red family traditions of revolutionary predecessors, take the lead in putting self-cultivation and family regulation into practice, take the lead in focusing on family education and family traditions, take the lead in practicing thrift and economy, take the lead in resisting the mentality of privilege, take the lead in abiding by Party discipline and rules, and take the lead in managing relatives, children, and staff around them.

加强道德教育，传承和弘扬中华优秀传统文化中“为政以德”“修齐治平”的思想精髓。大力引导党员特别是领导干部明大德、守公德、严私德，重品行、正操守、养心性；突出社会主义核心价值观引领，弘扬忠诚老实、公道正派、艰苦奋斗、清正廉洁等价值观。要加强党内政治文化建设，以新时代廉洁文化涵养党内政治生态，引导党员特别是领导干部旗帜鲜明抵制和反对关系学、厚黑学、官场术、“潜规则”等庸俗腐朽的政治文化，促进形成清清爽爽的同志关系、规规矩矩的上下级关系、亲清统一的新型政商关系，以优良党风带动社风民风向上向善。要以“关键少数”示范带动“绝大多数”，各级领导干部特别是高级干部要继承和弘扬中华优秀传统文化，继承和弘扬革命前辈的红色家风，带头把修身齐家落到实处、带头注重家教家风、带头勤俭节约、带头抵制特权思想、带头遵守党的纪律和规矩、带头管好亲属子女和身边工作人员。

(The author is a researcher at the Research Base for Marxist Theory and Political Civilization Construction, Guizhou Normal University)

（作者系贵州师范大学马克思主义理论与政治文明建设研究基地研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心